Method for extruding candy fillings having a high percentage of solids

ABSTRACT

Method and apparatus for extruding high solid content candy fillings to size in which the candy filling is deposited into the hopper of a worm-type extruder and is reduced and pressurized by this extruder and is then picked up by a high-pressure highviscosity piston pump in communication with a reducer, and ejected by the piston pump under high pressure to the final size of the filling. A Teflon-lined high-pressure hose is connected with the discharge end of the pump. A heavy-duty pipe is connected with the discharge end of the hose, and may be formed at its discharge end to shape the filling to a desired size.

' United States Patent lnventor Anthony J. Rossi I 40 Kashey St.,Clifton, NJ. 07013 724,120

Apr. 25, 1968 Jan. 19, 1971 Appl. No. Filed Patented METHOD FOREX'IRUDING CANDY FILLINGS HAVING A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF SOLIDS 8 Claims, 2Drawing Figs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Laskey l07/54(.6)

3,225,821 12/ l 965 Sollich Primary ExaminerLaverne D. Geiger AssistantExaminer-Robert 1. Smith Attamey-Hill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross & SimpsonABSTRACT: Method and apparatus for extruding high solid content candyfillings to size in which the candy filling is deposited into the hopperof a worm-type extruder and is reduced and pressurized by this extruderand is then picked up by a high-pressure high-viscosity piston pump incommunication with a reducer, and ejected by the piston pump under highpressure to the final size of the filling. A Teflon-lined high-pressurehose is connected with the discharge end of the pump. A heavy-duty pipeis connected with the discharge end of the hose, and may be formed atits discharge end to shape the filling to a desired size.

cm 54 50 5 41 9 46 4i 5,; 45 4; /0 4/ aAcKoaouNooF THE INVENTIONHeretofore candy fillings have been extruded by injecting the fillingsalong a duct. These extruders and injectors. however, will only handlejelly-types of fillings and will not'handle fillings havinga consistencyof over 75 percent to 78 percent solids. Where the filling is a caramelfilling or a like type of filling having a consistency of from 92percent to 98 percent solids, the practice has been to roll thefillingby hand to a size of from 6 to 8 inches in diameter and to then dump thefilling into a-batch roller. having tapered rotating rolls which spinthe filling to the size required to be fed into the filling equipment,enclosing the filling in. an outer jacket of hard candy. Theseoperations of forming the filling are primarily hand operationsrequiring a great deal of manual labor and are time consuming and arenot conducive to the mechanical production of filled candies. r

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THEINVENTION r The present invention provides amechanical method and apparatus for producing candy fillings having ahigh percentage of solids byplacing the mixed filling into a hopper andextruding the filling under pressure through a reducer fitting, and bythen picking up the pressurized filling by the pickup scoop of ahigh-pressure reciprocating pump further pressurizing the filling to a'high pressure and ejecting the pressurized filling to a preselectedsize, at a temperature at which it will retain its shape, into a hardcandy jacket.

A principal object of. the present invention is to improve upon themethodsand apparatuses of making high solid content candy fillings byextruding the filling to size in a series of successive and continuoushigh-pressure extruding operations.

Another object of the inventionis to provide an improved apparatus forextruding high solid content candy fillings to size, arranged with aview toward obtaining the pressure to extrude high solid contentfillings in a series of two step continuous pressurized reducingoperations.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanicalprocess for "extruding high solid content candy fillings to a selectedsize, by utilizing a worm-type extruder extruding the filling to anadapter, and by connecting a highpressure reciprocating pump to thedischarge end of the adapter and picking up the pressurized extrudedfilling therein and further pressurizing and ejecting the filling to aselected size into a hard candy jacket, at a temperature at which itwill retain its shape.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to timeas the following specification proceeds and with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view in side elevation of an extrudingapparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the pickup endof ahigh-pressure pump of a type that may be used to pressurize and feed thefilling into an outer candy coating or jacket.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION In the embodiment ofthe invention diagrammatically illustrated in the drawing, I have shownin FIG. 1, a high solid content filling extruder and injector 10including a frame 11 supporting a worm-type extruder, 12 in spacedrelation with respect to the ground.

The worm-type extruder 12 includes a hopper I3 at the receiving endthereof into which the filling is deposited and a closed conduit 15leading therefrom, generally conforming to the form of a wonn 16. Theworm 16 isshown as being in the form of a scroll 17 on a shaft 19rotatably mounted at the discharge end of the conduit in a bearingsupport 20. The opposite end of the shaft 19 extends through a rear endwall ZI of the hopper l3 and is suitably journaled in said rear endwall. A pulley .22'on the outer endof said shaft is driven from a motor23 and speed reducer 24. A belt 25 trained about a speed reducer drivepulley 26 has driving engagement with the pulley 22, for driving theshaft 19.

The conduit 15 has a radially outwardly extending flange 27 at itsdischarge end, abutted' by a ring 29 forming a Support for the bearingsupport 20. Thering 29 in turn is abutted by a flange 30 of an adapterfitting or reducer 31. The flange 30 and ring 29 and flange 27 areconnected together by bolts (not shown) or any other suitablesecuringmeans, and may be sealed in a conventional manner.

The reducer 3] is herein shown as being in the form of an elbow having aright angled upwardly extending discharge end 32 having a flange 33extending thereabout. The fitting 31 need not necessarily be an elbow orreducer, but may be a straight adapter fitting. The flange 33 forms amounting for a high-pressure reciprocating pump 35. The pump 35 isherein shown as being an air operated pump of a type manufactured byGray Company, Inc. Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is no part of the presentinvention, except insofar as it forms a pickup and pressurizing meansfor the extruded high solid content filling, for injecting the fillingthrough a high-pressure hose 36 connected at its discharge end with anextra heavy relatively long pipe 37, through a high-pressure coupling39. The high-pressure hose 36 is shown as being connected with an outletfrom the pump and is preferably Teflon lined and constructed to standpressures of 2,000 p.s.i. and over. The extra heavy pipe 37 and coupling39 are constructed to stand similar pressures and may be sized to effectthe injection of a filling to size. The discharge end of the pipe 37 mayalso be shaped in any suitable manner to form the filling to a desiredshape. In the present instance, the hose 36 and pipe 37 are between 15feet and 20 feet long and usually extend horizontally or at an angleinclined with respect to the horizontal.

although the length may be varied for various fillings and conditions.

The pump 35 includes a generally cylindrical intake housing 41 havingopen ends and having a bracket44 extending radially of its upper endportion. Rods 45 extending through the bracket 44, support a bracketplate 46 on the top of a cylindrical guide and housing portion 47 for aconnecting rod 49 for the pump and connected at its upper end to thepiston (not shown) of anair motor 52. Rods 50 mounted on and extendingupwardly of the bracket plate 46 have supporting connections with abracket plate 51 for the air motor 52. The bracket plate 51 is alsosupported on a bracket 51" engaging the undersurface thereof andextending radially outwardly therefrom. The bracket 51 is supported onthe upper ends of rods 48 extending upwardly of an annular bracket 33"supported on the flange 33 and secured thereto, as by machine screws 34.

The inner upper face of the annular bracket 33 is beveled to receive agrommet seal 44, retained thereto as by an annular retainer 42.

The air motor 52 is of a reciprocating type including a piston (notshown), reciprocably moved by air supplied to the motor through an airinlet 53. The piston (not shown) has a piston rod 55 depending therefromconnected with the connecting rod 49 through a coupling link 56.

As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting rod 49 is reciprocably guided in thecylindrical housing and guide 47 in a bearing and packing member 57 anddepends therefrom along the housing 47 into a cylinder 59, connectedbetween the housing 47 and the upper end portion of the intake housing41. The connecting rod 49 has a hollow lower end portion 60 havingopenings 61 leading through the wall thereof, and forming a cage for aball-type valve 62. The valve 62 is seated on a valve seat 63 on theupper end portion of a hollow body 65 for a piston 66 reciprocably movedalong an internal cylindrical wall 67 of the cylinder 59 uponreciprocable movement of the piston rod 55. Ports 69 lead from thebottom of the piston body 66 into the hollow interior portion of saidpiston body.

The piston body 65 in turn has a rod 70 threaded therein and dependingtherefrom through a guide 71 in the upper end portion of the housing 41.A pickup scoop or plate 73 is suitably mounted on the lower end of therod 70 and is moved by the piston of the air pump 52 beneaththedischarge end of the housing 41 to pick up the pressurized high solidcontent filling in the reducer 31 forced thereto by the worm 16. andlift and pressurize said filling upwardly through the housing 41 andalong the cylindrical wall 67 of the cylinder 59. A sleeve 75 isslidably mounted on the rod 70 beneath the guide 71. and has a valve 76on its lower end. seating against a valve seat 77 in the housing 41 uponthe downstroke of the piston 66. The guide 71 for the rod 70 also formsa stop to limit upward movement of the valve 76.

The pump 35 is of a type in which air under pressure may be admitted tothe inlet 53 to reciprocably move the piston 66 along the cylindricalwall 67 of the cylinder 59 and force the filling to move along saidcylinder and pressurize the filling at pressures of at least 20 timesthe pressure of the air entering the inlet 53. in the present apparatusand process, it is desirable that the filling be pressurized atpressures in the order of 2,000 p.s.i.. although the pressures may beincreased where required. dependent upon percentage of solids in thefilling and the pressures required to cxtrude the filling through thehose 36 and pipe 37. The pressures. of course. are also dependent uponthe diameter of the hose 36 and pipe 37.

in carrying out the process of the present invention, a mixed candyfilling of a high solid content which usually contains from 92 percentto 98 percent solids is supplied to the hopper 13. Assuming the motor 23is in operation and is rotatably -driving the worm 16. the filling inthe hopper 13 is fed and extruded by the worm 16 along the cylindricalconduit and reducer fitting 31 and is forced under pressure along thereducer 31 to be picked up by the scoop 73 on the end of the rod 70. ofthe high-pressure pump 35. The scoop 73. picking up the candy fillingforced thereto by the worm 16. forces the filling upwardly along thehousing 41 and interior cylindrical wall of the cylinder 59 on theupstroke of the piston 66. The continuous picking up of the high solidcontent filling by the scoop 73 will pressurize and advance the fillingalong the interior portion of the piston body 65 past the check valve 62and out through the outlet 40 along the high-pressure hose 36 and heavyduty pipe 37. The pump 35 pressurizing the filling to pressures of theorder of at least 2,000 p.s.i. forces the filling through the hose 36and pipe 37 and raises the temperature of the filling from 125 to 140 F.at which temperature and consistency. the product will retain its shapeon being discharged from the end of the heavy duty pipe 37. The fillingmay then be injected into a candy coating or may be coated in anyconventional manner.

it may be seen from the foregoing 'that a simple system and apparatushas been provided for mechanically extruding high solid content fillingsto size. in which the extruding is attained by first extruding andpressurizing the filling along a fitting and forcing the filling to thepickup scoop of a high pressure reciprocating pump. pressurizing andextruding the filling at a relatively high-pressure and effecting theshaping of the filling to a desired size.

it should also be understood that various forms ofextruders andpumps maybe used to carry out the process of the invention. arranged topressurize the filling in lowand high-pressure stages. with an adapteror reducer between the stages.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which the inventionmay be embodied. it may readily be understood that various variationsand modifications in the invention may be attained without departingfrom the spirit and scope of this novel concepts thereof.

lclaim:

l. A method of extruding high solid content candy fillings to sizecomprising the steps of:

supplying a high solid content filling for extruding;

feeding the high solid content filling under pressure and pressurizingthe filing so fed;

forcing the pressurized filling through a reducer; and picking up thefilling so forced from the reducer and substantially increasing thepressure of the filling and extruding the filling to size under highpressure at a temperature and consistency at which the filling willretain its shape when extruded.

2. The method of claim 1. wherein the operation of picking up thefilling from the reducer and increasing the pressure on the fillingpicked up and extruding the filling to size is a highpressure pumpingoperation.

3. The method of claim 1. wherein the step of feeding the high solidcontent filling under pressure and pressurizing the filling so fed whilemaintaining the filling under pressure, is an extruding operation.

4. The method of claim 1:

wherein the feeding and reducing step is an extruding step;

wherein the step of picking up the filling is a high-pressure pumpingstep; and

wherein the feeding and reducing step is also a forcing step.

forcing the filling to the pickup and reducing step.

5. The method of claim 4. wherein the pressurized filling is confinedfor a relatively long path of travel at the termination of the pumpingstep and is reduced to size at a temperature where the filling willretain its shape as reduced and discharged from its confinement underpressure.

6. The method of claim 1:

wherein the feeding and reducing step is attained by the provision of aworm extruder;

wherein the pumping step is attained by a high-pressure reciprocatingpump; and

wherein the feeding and reducing step forces the pressurized and reducedfilling to the pumping step.

7. The method of claim 1. wherein the high solid content filling has asolids content in the range of between 92 percent and 98 percent solids.

8. The method of claim 7. wherein the pressure of the filling extrudedto size is of the order of 2.000 pounds per square inch.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of picking up thefilling from the reducer and increasing the pressure on the fillingpicked up and extruding the filling to size is a high-pressure pumpingoperation.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of feeding thehigh solid content filling under pressure and pressurizing the fillingso fed while maintaining the filling under pressure, is an extrudingoperation.
 4. The method of claim 1: wherein the feeding and reducingstep is an extruding step; wherein the step of picking up the filling isa high-pressure pumping step; and wherein the feeding and reducing stepis also a forcing step, forcing the filling to the pickup and reducingstep.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the pressurized filling isconfined for a relatively long path of travel at the termination of thepumping step and is reduced to size at a temperature where the fillingwill retain its shape as reduced and discharged from its confinementunder pressure.
 6. The method of claim 1: wherein the feeding andreducing step is attained by the provision of a worm extruder; whereinthe pumping step is attained by a high-pressure reciprocating pump; andwherein the feeding and reducing step forces the pressurized and reducedfilling to the pumping step.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the highsolid content filling has a solids content in the range of between 92percent and 98 percent solids.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein thepressure of the filling extruded to size is of the order of 2,000 poundsper square inch.